Cards Fans: Time to Get behind Another Squad

            In the words of football defensive coordinator, Vance Bedford, " Get on board, or get out the way."  Same goes for Cardinal volleyball.  This squad will become a national power within the next few years.  In order to take the next step though, we need the support of the great fans of the L Raiser nation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 In the last several years we have gotten behind many of our non-revenue sports at UofL such as baseball, soccer and women's basketball.  I want to encourage everyone to try and make it to the 6-time and defending Big East champion UofL volleyball games this weekend.  They will be playing in the KFC Yum! Center on Friday night at 7:00 as they host St. John's in the Big East opener.  Admission is only $5, and it is a great way to support a UofL squad and see a game up-close downtown.  First year head coach Anne Kordes, has rejuvenated the volleyball fans of Louisville and will lead us to new heights.(She already has a top-notch recruiting class on the horizon for the 2012 campaign).  This year's squad is a special group led by senior middle-hitter Gwen Rucker and junior outside hitter Lola Arslanbekova.  (Arslanbekova is one of the best players to ever put on a UofL uniform in my opinion.)  There are plenty of local girls on the roster including Mercy's Caitlin Welch, Sacred Heart's Emily Juhl and Assumption's Maci Wachtel and Kaitlynn James.  Brooke Mattingly and Tanya Lukyanekova are 6'3 front row players that are solid, and setters Taylor Brauneis and Gosia Lech are consistent setters who do not get the recognition that the hitters get.  The Lady Cards are 8-4 and have been competitive in every game against some great competition this season.  They will also be in action Sunday at 2:00 against Connecticut in the KFC Yum! Center.  I have had season tickets for several years and try to make it to every game.  The atmosphere is great and the quality of volleyball is outstanding.  I promise that if you make it out to either of the games this weekend, you will find yourself coming back again and again to watch the Cards.  Tickets can be purchased by calling 852-5151 or at the gate.  Please consider getting to some of the games, you will not be disappointed.  You can also purchase tickets for all six of the KFC Yum! Center games for a low price of $30.     

Remaining Schedule via uoflsports.com:

Great promo video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVdOljx15S4

Last weekend was pretty awesome.  Friday night I was able to attend both the open football practice and the Earl Clark charity game.  I also was able to look forward to something that has become an annual tradition for my grandma and I, lunch with the football team at the Schnellenberger Complex.  At the conclusion of Saturday's open practice, I was able to join a select group of about twenty other Cardinal football fans for the annual Cardinal Dames lunch with the team.  The Cardinal Dames is a group of older women who are Cards fans, and as a teenage guy to get to join them for something like this is interesting.  My grandma belongs to this group and every year since 2005 she has taken me to this lunch/dinner, and in return I take her to the kickoff luncheon at the Marriot downtown.  We have sat with the likes of Michael Bush, Johnny Patrick, Brock Bolen and Adrian Grady  in the past at this event.  This year we got to sit with Corvin Lamb(freshman running back), John Wallace(freshman kicker) and Joe Castaneda(freshman cornerback), while we also had the opportunity to talk with any members of the team.  This being the sixth year I have attended the luncheon, I can honestly say that this group was the most down to earth and outgoing.  Everyone on the team was running around saying hey to all the folks who joined them and making everyone feel welcome.  This year was also one of the first times that the coaches showed up to the luncheon.  I got the opportunity to thank Coach Strong one-on-one for opening up the practices and all the positive energy he has brought to the program.  Coach Moorer, who scares the living shit out of anyone he comes in the vicinity of was also there and just as easy going as Greg Scruggs.  Corvin Lamb, who demonstrated his potential in the open practice running drills on Saturday is now my favorite player on this team.  For someone who struggled to qualify and become a member of the team, he was a very intelligent guy.  A few of the players, including him were walking around with a binder as thick as the whole Harry Potter series combined with plays and schemes for the upcoming season.  It is incredible how these guys can balance football with schoolwork.  Corvin, Joe and John talked about how excited they were to run out on the field for the first time on September 1st and how they want to see a huge crowd in the seats early.  I am getting the feeling that this year's football team will be a lot like the basketball team from the previous season.  Not many expectations, but since they buy into a team concept, work hard, and are motivated they will achieve great things.  It is an understatement to say that I am excited for football season.  Go Cards! And tell me this 1984 helmet with the black  with the black "The Ville" jersey wouldn't be sick to pull out for a night game in the near future!        

It's the dead period right now and there are not a ton of Louisville sports to follow.  So use these next few weeks to consider hitting the road with the Cards this fall as we battle to bring home the Big East Championship in Charlie's second year.  If you want to see an exciting game this year you will have to make it a road trip. With a home lineup featuring two exciting games(Pitt and Rutgers), all the rivals on the road and games that could decide our postseason dreams on the road it is a no-brainer to hit the road.  I have done calculations and it won't break the bank to make some of these trips.  Kentucky @ Commonwealth is a no-brainer if you do not mind going into hostile ground and can get tickets.  Cincinnati at Paul Brown is a must make.  Battle for the Keg of Nails and easy to get tickets.  I would not be surprised to see 20,000 Cards fans up there.  North Carolina is a game that will be tough to get to, but can be done.  It would be nice to get a road win in ACC territory.  West Virginia is a brave soul kind of trip.  We all have heard the stories about the Mountaineer Maniacs.  Connecticut is probably the toughest trip to make.  This is one of the only ones I won't make.  Going up to the northeast for football seems bizarre, but more power to you if you make the trip.  South Florida could be a fun one this year.  Day after Thanksgiving.  Make this trip if you want to tailgate like a pilgrim or want to avoid the in-laws.  I am planning to go to all but UCONN and hope to see Louisville car flags all over the east coast this season and Go Cards!                                                      

The Lady Cards had an impressive 19 point win today in the NCAA tournament over Vanderbilt.  What was almost as impressive was the amount of Cards supporters who made the hour and a half trip to Cincinnati.  There were in upwards of three thousand and they were loud throughout the game.  Now the Cards are set to take on the Xavier Musketeers on their home court Tuesday in the second round.  It would be great to see the Cardinal faithful try to pull the Lady Cards to the Sweet 16.  Tickets go on sale tomorrow by calling 5028525151 and are only $16 a piece.  We need to get behind every team across the sports circuit.  Go Cards! Beat the Muskies!

If Notre Dame beats USC then do they get the Champs SPorts Bowl and we are left home?  I heard that some where and I am really nervous and pulling out my Lane Kiffin gear.  Please post what has to happen for us to go to a bowl.  I know jurich said we are 100% in, but I am wondering if he just did that to make the fanbase happy.  I hope to God USC wins and we do not even have to worry about Notre Dame.  If someone would post a response quick during this game it would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks! 

Today marks the four-year anniversary of the original blackout victory over West Virginia, which guided us to our highest ranking in school history and the 2007 FedEx Orange Bowl.  Personally, I will never forget this amazing night.

We thought it could not get any better than beating Miami at home on ABC, but it got much better with this victory in Thursday Night Primetime.  Had Michael Bush stayed healthy, we would have been playing in the national championship and most likely would have beaten Ohio State.  In three years who would have thought that the program could take such a plummet.  But I think we can truthfully say that we are Standing Strong and will be back in black very soon.  GO CARDS!

Sorry this is a little late but here is my game experience from Arkansas State. 

The drive from Louisville to Jonesboro, AR is about 6 and a half hours and we left after a miserable first half of the ST. X Trinity game.  We drove through most of the night and passed through many towns with confederate flags, and my favorite town, "Goobertown."  Saturday morning when we arrive it is a windy day, not good for tailgating as footballs being thrown an canopys sail away from tailgates.  Arkansas State had many dedicated fans out there seven hours before kickoff.  We got in the parking lot 4 hours before kick and listened to the end of the Ole Miss UK game to the delight of many Cards fans around us.  There was a great group from the West End who brought their grills and a festive Louisville taste to the game.  On rough estimate I would say there were about a thousand Cards fans in Jonesboro. 

http://cardinaldominance.ning.com/photo/1912598:Photo:44579?context=album&albumId=1912598%3AAlbum%3A44599

http://cardinaldominance.ning.com/photo/1912598:Photo:44582?context=album&albumId=1912598%3AAlbum%3A44599

http://cardinaldominance.ning.com/photo/1912598:Photo:44588?context=album&albumId=1912598%3AAlbum%3A44599

http://cardinaldominance.ning.com/photo/1912598:Photo:44594?context=album&albumId=1912598%3AAlbum%3A44599

http://cardinaldominance.ning.com/photo/1912598:Photo:44597?context=album&albumId=1912598%3AAlbum%3A44599

So we get in the stadium when the gates open with our $15 gneral admission tickets and sit at the 50 yd line 5 rows up behind the UofL bench.  We are smack dab in the middle of a redneck ASU section.  When Powell catches the touchdown to put the Cards up 31-7 in the 2nd quarter, my friend and I pull out the UofL banner much to the displeasure of the ASU fans and people start hurling rocks at us.  Yes, I said rocks, these people were just as bad as UK fans from the hills of Eastern KY.  So when the Cards pulled itout, after a few nervous moments late, we were very pleased and jammed to Fight UofL! in the car on the way to Memphis.  When in Memphis there were a few scary momments since it was midnight and the gangsters were out.  We enjoyed a victory meal at Hooters on Beale Street where several Cards fans were, and drove back Sunday morning.  All and all it was a fun trip, but we need to not schedule Sun Belt road games from now on. 

As a diehard Louisville fan, I enjoy going to all the games.  Home and Away I believe that the Cards have the greatest fans in the nation.  However, in the past few years under Kragthorpe with the exception of traveling to Kentucky and Cincinnati, our fanbase has been pretty weak on the road.  I encourage every one of you to try and make at least one road game this year.  They aren't too expensive at all if you can make a weekend out of it and drive to the games.  Road games with family and friends can create some great memories that will stick with you for a long time.  I plan on heading to Arkansas State, Pittsburgh and Rutgers and hope to see tons of Cards fans there.  With HCCS leading the way let's get back to the type of traveling team we were when our program was succesful and there were thousands of people on the road each weekend heading to games.  Go Cards!